Prayers and blessings be upon his noble Messenger Muhammad, and to his Family, to his Companions, and to those who follow their guidance until the Day of Judgement

Following this discourse on the Madhahib we need to first understand the role of the madhhab. All this info I am about to share with all of you is from the audio lecture on following a madhhab by Imam Zaid Shakir.

Using some analogy, the Quran and the Sunnah is the mountain; we are far away from it looking at with awe and amazement. We would like to get a better look at this mountain. The madhahib serves as the binoculars so one can see the intricate details on the mountain. Now we dont look at the binoculars, we look at the mountain. So the madhahib is merely a tool on how to see the Prophetic guidance with greater clarity and detail then with, using the analogy again, seeing the mountain with a naked eye.

Secondly a madhhab is not the work of one Imam or one scholar. A madhhab is a school of jurisprudence, where the founding Imam would lay out the jurisprudential principles of his school and bring about the preliminary legal rulings based on those principles. His students would then reexamine and update the legal conclusions of the school, using the principles that the founding Imam has established. Take for example the Shafi'i School:

1) Imam Shafi'i laid out the jurisprudential principles of his school and started the preliminary legal conclusions.

2) The his main students like Imam Muzani, Imam Buwaythi, and others reevaluated his legal conclusions based on his methodology and evidence and upgraded when necessary.

3) The next generation consisted who consisted of luminaries like Imam Bayhaqi did the same, reevaluated the legal rulings of the school based on the principles of the school and upgraded.

4) The generation after Imam Bayhaqi had the likes of Imam al Haramayn al Juwayni who reevaluated the legal rulings of the school and upgraded

5) Imam Juwayni's student Hujjatul Islam Imam Abu Hamid al Ghazali was of the next generation who did the same

6) After Ghazali was Imam Rafi'i and his contemporaries who continued to upgrade the school. Imam al Rafi' actually condensed and expounded on Imam Ghazali's work Al Wajiz.

7) After Rafi' Imam Nawawi came who reevaluated and upgraded the entire school based the earlier works of fiqh from the school especially from his predecessor Imam Rafi'. He created a manual called Minhaj at Talibin which became the foremost reference work for the later Shafi'i school.

*The soundest and most reliable legal rulings of the Shafi' madhhab is from what Imam Rafi' and what Imam Nawawi agree on, followed by Imam Nawawi's position.

So as we have illustrated from this example, the madhhab is not the ruling or legal conclusions of one Imam or scholar, but rather, it is a work of hundreds if not thousands of scholars from the school in each generation who have reevaluated and upgraded the legal conclusions of the school based on the jurisprudential principles laid out by the Imam himself. This process of refining and correcting has made all four madhahib sound schools of jurisprudence within the Sunni tradition.

Finally, following a madhhab, ie Taqlid, is not blindly following as some detractors say now. But rather, following a madhhab is in fact the following of qualified scholarship. The scholars that I have mentioned in the Shafi'i school, for example, were giants in the fields of Hadith, Quran, Fiqh, and the other sciences. We look to specialists in Islamic law because most of us do not have the time nor intellect to learn all the requisite knowledge required to derive legal rulings from the Quran and Sunnah. In traditional ciriculums, a person who wants to be a Mufti, a specialist in Islamic law who can issue out fatwa (expert legal opinions) would have to go through 20 years of learning. Fiqh would not be the only science studied but also Arabic language, Quran, Tafsir, Hadith and its sciences, Usul al Fiqh, Qawa'id al fiqhiyah, logic, rhetoric, and others.

So I hope with this exposition inshallah we realize the need to follow qualified scholarship. In an age where its the Do-it-yourself Islam, we are treading on dangerous waters trying to derive our own rulings based on our one dimensional understanding of the Quran and Hadith.

No right thinking Muslim can ignore the services and contribution of the great Fiq’h scholars. The Qur’an orders us to follow them (Men of authority in their respective fields) in all such matters on which different authorities of a particular field are unanimous. But if the authentic authorities differ on a subject, that issue should be referred to Qur’an and Hadith for guidance. There is no room for choice in this matter. This is a very specific and clear cut order of Almighty Allah.

“O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and the persons of authority among you. But if you differ about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That (only) is the best (course) and a just interpretation.” [4:59]

Swearing allegiance to a particular scholar with such ardour that the followers become a sect is against the spirit of Islam. The great Fiq’h scholars never advocated it themselves. The Holy Qur’an denounces the sectarianism in no uncertain words; “Cling one and all to the Rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves..” (3:103)

“Be not like those who became divided and opposed to one another after clear signs have been given them. For them is a stern chastisement.” (3:105)

“Have nothing to do with those who have split up their religion into sects. Allah will call them to account and declare to them what they have done.” (6:159)

How can the Muslims, the believers in One God, His Message the Qur’an and followers of the Prophet whose every word and action is recorded in history, be divided to become sects. The Qur’an says that it is Mushrikeen (those who ascribe partners to Allah who become divided to the extent of becoming sects.

“...And be not of those who associate others with Allah, those who split up their religion and became sects, each exulting in its own belief.” (30:31-32)

No right thinking Muslim can ignore the services and contribution of the great Fiq’h scholars. The Qur’an orders us to follow them (Men of authority in their respective fields) in all such matters on which different authorities of a particular field are unanimous. But if the authentic authorities differ on a subject, that issue should be referred to Qur’an and Hadith for guidance. There is no room for choice in this matter. This is a very specific and clear cut order of Almighty Allah.

Assalam Aleikum raushan.

When there is a difference of opinion between the scholars of the four madhabs, the difference is not because the scholars have decided to ignore the primary sources of Islam. Hence, you will not find the solution to the differences. The scholars reach differeing opinions due to interpretational matters. They still go to the primary sources, but sometimes there is room for interpretation.

A feeling of discouragement when you slip up is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds. -Ibn 'Ata'llah
http://www.sunnipath.com
http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/
http://www.pt-go.com/

It is my opinion that Islam existed since the beginning and there since the beginning we were/are all Muslims as we all have/are submitting to the will of Allah though each of us submits in varying degrees.

So therefore Christianity, Hindu, Jewdaism, Seik, Buddhism are all expressions of the evolution of Islam.

This given in all these religions and even people with none we all give in charity, pray one or more times a day, make pilgrimage to our Holy places and read our spiritual texts.

The keys of being a Muslim are the following in my books

1. Education in a trade or proffession so we can support ourselves and our families with grace and dignity

3. Consultation, whether it is consulting a proffessional over some challenge we have to get good advice in how to resolve the family, personal or community issues with grace and dignity

4. Making a personal pilgramage to our lives, our families, communities, Nations and world to see where we need help or can give it

5. Living prayers, being of service some how to our families, communities, Nation or world such as digging a well where they need water or teaching a course in a low income area or guiding someone to counseling or medical treatment

To me Islam is not stagnant at all but ever evolving and changing.

To me there is great hope in Islam and Humanity as we are the Ummah of Islam.

With the advancement of technology the world is in the growing pains coming to adult hood and we are experiencing the pains of yet a jevanile society still growing and learning.

Some may want Islam to be in a box but it is not it in everwhere, in everything. Life is Islam and Islam is Life.

Salam

Anne Marie

Judgement day passes in the moment we decide something needs attention & we take positive action. Then there will be a great sorting out of people into groups, Inspired by Surah 99 Ayat 1-8

Swearing allegiance to a particular scholar with such ardour that the followers become a sect is against the spirit of Islam. The great Fiq’h scholars never advocated it themselves. The Holy Qur’an denounces the sectarianism in no uncertain words; “Cling one and all to the Rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves..” (3:103)

As Salamu Alaykum

I think you need to re-read my post. A Muslim who adheres to one of the four madhahib isn't swearing allegiance to a particular scholar. In fact a person who adheres to a madhhab is following qualified scholarship as undertaken by the entire school not just one scholar. I illustrated that in the example I used with the Shafi'i Madhhab. Each successive generation of scholars from that school looked upon the legal rulings and opinions of the school reevaluated in light of the methodology of the school and the primary evidence and upgraded accordingly.

No denies following the Qur'an and Sunnah. The question is who are you following? The Prophet (salla llahu alayhi wa sallam) is no longer personally alive to teach us. All we have left is what has been transmitted by people. Do we follow a person who simply reads a book of ahadith he bought from the store? or do we take ahadith who studied the ahadith or work or science of Islam from masters in an unbroken chain back to the source? I prefer following this unbroken chain of transmission. This insures that what I follow is based on the correct context and understanding that the source intended.

Following a madhhab isn't making allegiance to anyone. One can change their madhhab if they choose, they aren't stuck with it once they choose. I recommend you get the cd lecture on why we follow madhhabs by Imam Zaid Shakir. Its available at Alhambra Productions.

It is my opinion that Islam existed since the beginning and there since the beginning we were/are all Muslims as we all have/are submitting to the will of Allah though each of us submits in varying degrees.

So therefore Christianity, Hindu, Jewdaism, Seik, Buddhism are all expressions of the evolution of Islam.

This given in all these religions and even people with none we all give in charity, pray one or more times a day, make pilgrimage to our Holy places and read our spiritual texts.

The keys of being a Muslim are the following in my books

1. Education in a trade or proffession so we can support ourselves and our families with grace and dignity

3. Consultation, whether it is consulting a proffessional over some challenge we have to get good advice in how to resolve the family, personal or community issues with grace and dignity

4. Making a personal pilgramage to our lives, our families, communities, Nations and world to see where we need help or can give it

5. Living prayers, being of service some how to our families, communities, Nation or world such as digging a well where they need water or teaching a course in a low income area or guiding someone to counseling or medical treatment

To me Islam is not stagnant at all but ever evolving and changing.

To me there is great hope in Islam and Humanity as we are the Ummah of Islam.

With the advancement of technology the world is in the growing pains coming to adult hood and we are experiencing the pains of yet a jevanile society still growing and learning.

Some may want Islam to be in a box but it is not it in everwhere, in everything. Life is Islam and Islam is Life.

Salam

Anne Marie

If someone follows Islam, according to your list of personal opinions and conjecture, they will be following a path that is heretical and innovated, and will not be within the folds of the definition of "Islam".

A feeling of discouragement when you slip up is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds. -Ibn 'Ata'llah
http://www.sunnipath.com
http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/
http://www.pt-go.com/

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